Lyr Req: Braes of Mar

Subject: Braes Of Mar
From: donann
Date: 11 Oct 99 - 04:55 PM

I'm looking for the lyrics to..."The Standard On The Braes Of Mar" Thanks for any help.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Braes of Mar
From: bigJ
Date: 11 Oct 99 - 05:36 PM

Put - braes - in the Digitrad Lyrics Search and you should get a version.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Braes of Mar
From:
Date: 11 Oct 99 - 05:44 PM

"The Braes of Mar" is an 18th century Scots tune (Bremner's Reels, c 1758, McGlashan's, 1786), but there is seems to be no known song to it, at least until after Hogg's 'Jacobite Relics', 1821.

There is another possibility. Is it perhaps the one called the Highland Muster Roll, or the Chevalier's Muster Roll. It starts "Little what ye wha's coming." That was from the rebellion of 1715.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Braes of Mar
From: Bruce O.
Date: 11 Oct 99 - 07:28 PM

Up and waur them a':

The tune as "Up to war a' Willie" is in the 2nd book of Walsh's 'Caledonian Country Dances', c 1736, and in several later Scots tunes collections prior to the appearance of Burns' song with it as #188 in 'The Scots Musical Museum', (1788).

Burns' song is a revised and slightly extended version of a seven verse song in 'The Charmer', (2nd ed) 1752 (not seen), where the author's intitals are given as B. G. I've seen it also in the 3rd edition of 'The Charmer', 1765, but I didn't copy it. All I have of it is the first verse as quoted in James Dick's 'The Songs of Robert Burns':

When we went to the field of war
And to the weaponshaw, Willy,
With true design to stand our ground,
and chase our faes awa, Willie;
Lairds and lords came there bedeen,
And vow gin they were pra', Willy,
Up and war 'em a', Willy;
War 'em a', war e'em a', Willy.

I don't think anyone really knows what the original song was. I've found one in a MS dating from shortly after the Battle of Culloden (1746) that starts:

Up and rin your wa' Willie
Up and rin your wa's
Cullodens Lawrells you have lost
That gain'd you such applause
A check of conscience for your crimes
That stings you to the Saul willie
Has broke your measures this Campaign
As much as Lewdendhal's willie
Up and rin &c.

But this, of course, is not about Mar's rebellion of 1715.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Braes of Mar
From: BeauDangles
Date: 12 Oct 99 - 12:45 PM

I have this from the mighty Tannies, on their cd Cullen Bay. This is from memory, so forgive any lapses:

The standard on the braes o' mar is up and streamin' rarely// the gatherin pipe on lochnagar is soundin loud and sairly// the hielan' men, frae hill and glen//wi' belted plaids and glitterin blades//wi' bonnets blue, and hearts sae true// comin' late and early

Oor prince has made a noble vow, to free his country fairly// wha would be a traitor nu, to ane we loo sae dearly// we'll go, we'll go and meet the foe// by land or sea, wheree'er they be// and man tae man, and in the van// we'll win or die for Chairly

Then I think you just repeat the first verse. It's a real rouser. I can't listen to it while driving, cuz inevitable it makes me go faster than I should!

Hope this is what you were after.

BeauD

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Braes of Mar
From:
Date: 12 Oct 99 - 01:22 PM

With Charlie in it that can have nothing to do with Mar's rebellion of 1715. The exiled prince at that time was Bonny Prince Charlie's father James, the 'Old Pretender', son of James II of England, who was born on June 10, 1688. The English weren't very happy at the birth of a son to be raised as a Catholic, in 1688, and there is a satirical song on James birth which starts "Two Toms and Nat in council sat" (To tune of Jamaica). France had proclaimed him King of England when the exiled James II died on Sept. 16, 1701 in France, but the English didn't seem to like that idea very much.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Braes of Mar
From:
Date: 12 Oct 99 - 05:34 PM

Addenda: Bonnie Prince Charlie was born in Rome on Dec. 31, 1720.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Braes of Mar
From: Murray on Saltspring
Date: 17 Oct 99 - 03:30 AM

The "Our Prince" words seem to be a chorus; and the second verse goes:

I saw our chief come o'er the hill,
Wi' Drummond and Glengarry,
And through the pass came brave Lochiel,
Panmure and gallant Murray. [Yea, for the Murrays!!]
Macdonald's men, Clanronald's men,
McKenzie's men, McGilvray's men,
Strathallan's men, the lowland men,
O' Callander and Airley.

--I get this out of Bayey & Ferguson's "Lyric Gems of Scotland" (no date, but maybe 1920s??)--which ascribes the music to John Dewar.His dates are circa 1790-1840 (give or take), and he certainly didn't compose the tune, just arranged it.